BERMINGHAM-FOX, Carol. Loving mother of Sarah Bermingham and beloved wife of Colin Fox, died peacefully at home on the evening of October 8th following a long arduous partnership with a rare and deadly cancer. Born in Hamilton, a graduate of the University of Toronto, Carol moved to New York to pursue a career in mental health. It was there that she married John Bermingham, father of Sarah, enrolled at New York University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science. She earned her MSc from Columbia University and gained experience in the field of mental health at the Psychiatric Institute. As a psychiatric nurse clinician she joined the team at Mount Sinai Hospital, during which time her marriage ended. Carol reunited with Colin (having met him many years before) and they were married in New York in 1986. They eventually returned to Canada in 1989, but within a year she was diagnosed with a rare cancer. Surviving surgery she went on to teach at Ryerson University in Toronto and to act as an administrator at The Homewood Health Centre in Guelph, Ontario. Aside from her career in medicine, she was a great lover of the arts, particularly opera, which she learned at her grandfather’s knee. That love of the arts was enhanced by a stay in Rome, during which Colin was involved in a film, and the eternal city became her spiritual home. Mementos of her Italian sojourn fill the house that she has so beautifully decorated. Carol always downplayed her accomplishments. Rather, she championed the struggles of those whose lives were circumscribed by mental illness and poverty. When she worked in New York she was held in high esteem by her colleagues at Mount Sinai, some of whom have become lifelong friends. Her cancer seemed to be in remission but after 21 years it recurred and it was found to have spread. As with the many setbacks she encountered in her life, Carol faced this one with remarkable resilience and courage. In 2011, when she was given only 6 months to live, Carol refused to succumb to fear, pursuing her love of travel, art, and music and spent two winters in Rome, beating the odds by four and a half years. Facing the end, she decided that she wanted to die at home. Her wish was fulfilled all too soon. Greatly loved by Colin and Sarah, her family and friends, Carol has left an indelible mark and an empty place in our lives. Visitation will be held at the family home, located at 37 Henderson Street in Elora, Ontario, on Friday, October 16th, 2015 between the hours of 3:00pm and 7:00pm. Funeral Service for Carol will be conducted at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, at the corner of Henderson and Smith Streets in Elora, Ontario, on Saturday, October 17th, 2015 at 3:30pm. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the St. Francis Table Capuchin Outreach to the Poor (www.capuchinoutreach.org) or the St. John’s Elora Choir Fund (stjohns@sentex.net).
